<p>It’s been 16 years since I joined the culinary world. In these years, I have seen the hotel industry change a lot and it’s been a learning process. The good thing is that there is still a lot more to learn when it comes to this industry. </p>.<p>The word ‘kitchen’ has always excited me. I love that I get to make something new and learn in the process as well. </p>.<p>I grew up helping my mother and sister in the kitchen. My mother’s culinary skills inspired me to become what I am today. Coming from a traditional Punjabi household, we have always been hardcore foodies. That’s probably one of the other reasons why food is so important to me. </p>.<p>I started my career working for The Leela Goa. My fascination for cooking took me to several other major cities in the country. Thanks to these interesting job opportunities, I had the privilege to work with many high profile chefs from across the world and learn from them. It has been an amazing experience. </p>.<p>Though my cooking is influenced by Punjabi food, I like to experiment with other cuisines too. </p>.<p>Let’s start off the year with a South African dish called ‘Braai Spatchcock’.</p>.<p>I have always helped my mother and sister in the kitchen. My mother’s culinary skills has always inspired me,being hardcore punjabi’s ours was a family of food lovers so do I and that’s probably how I found my interest in food industry. Also ,I have always been influenced by ‘Punjabi Khana’.I began my journey in the industry from The Leela Goa.</p>.<p>In these several years of experience, the fascination of cooking has took me through major cities to work alongside many high profile chefs across the world and it has been an amazing experience.</p>.<p>When you braai a spatchcock chicken, you need to prepare it in indirect fire and place a foil drip pan between the coal. When you grill the chicken, you have to make sure that it is breast side down, covered but with the vents open so that it’ll charr well. You’ll need to flip the meat a couple of time and cook for about half an hour. The resting time, once it’s off the grill, is important.</p>.<h3>Braai Spatchcock</h3>.<p><strong>Ingredients</strong></p>.<ul> <li>Whole baby chicken, 1</li> <li>Potatoes, 200 g (thinly sliced and covered with cold water until needed salt)</li> <li>Salt to taste</li> <li>Few sprigs of thyme</li> <li>Braai chilli marinade</li> <li>Smoked jalapenos, 2 or Chipotle paste, 3 tsp</li> <li>Dried chilli flakes, 1 tsp</li> <li>Smoked paprika, 2 tbsp</li> <li>Garlic, 5 cloves</li> <li>Ginger root, 2 cm piece, peeled and sliced</li> <li>Red or white wine vinegar, 1/4 cup</li> <li>Extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup</li> <li>Dark brown sugar, 1 tbsp</li> <li>Salt, 1 tbsp</li> <li>Lemon juice</li> <li>Fresh limes for serving</li></ul>.<p><strong>Method</strong></p>.<ul> <li class="byline">Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C</li> <li class="byline">Rinse the chicken inside and out and pat dry</li> <li class="byline">Place on a cutting board, breast down and using your knife or kitchen scissors, cut along both sides of the backbone to remove it. Turn the chicken over and press it flat.</li> <li class="byline">Place all the marinade ingredients in a food processor and blend to a paste</li> <li class="byline">Taste the heat of the marinade and add more chilli or chilli flakes if needed.</li> <li class="byline">Brush a thick layer of marinade on the bottom of a fairly deep roasting pan.</li> <li class="byline">Remove the potatoes from the water and pat dry.</li> <li class="byline">Place the potatoes on top of the marinade and sprinkle with some salt and the thyme leaves.</li> <li class="byline">Brush the chicken all over with about half of the marinade (don’t worry if some of the marinade ends up on the potatoes</li> <li class="byline">Place the chicken skin side down on the potatoes, place in the oven and roast for 15 minutes.</li> <li class="byline">Turn the chicken over, brush the chicken all over with half of the leftover marinade and roast for a further 15 minutes.</li> <li class="byline">Brush the chicken again with the last bit of marinade and roast for a further 10 minutes until cooked and the juices run clear when you pierce the thigh.</li> <li class="byline">Return the chicken to the oven and increase the heat of the oven up to grill and grill the chicken for about 10 minutes to crisp the skin</li> <li class="byline">Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes.</li> <li class="byline">While the chicken rests, gently stir the potatoes through the juices in the pan and place back in the oven under the grill for about 10 minutes until the potatoes are golden brown and crispy on top (keep a watch that it does not burn).</li> <li class="byline">Serve the chicken and potatoes with a few wedges of lime to squeeze over the chicken.</li></ul>.<p class="byline"><strong>JP Singh<br />Executive Chef, Sheraton Grand Hotel, Whitefield.</strong></p>
<p>It’s been 16 years since I joined the culinary world. In these years, I have seen the hotel industry change a lot and it’s been a learning process. The good thing is that there is still a lot more to learn when it comes to this industry. </p>.<p>The word ‘kitchen’ has always excited me. I love that I get to make something new and learn in the process as well. </p>.<p>I grew up helping my mother and sister in the kitchen. My mother’s culinary skills inspired me to become what I am today. Coming from a traditional Punjabi household, we have always been hardcore foodies. That’s probably one of the other reasons why food is so important to me. </p>.<p>I started my career working for The Leela Goa. My fascination for cooking took me to several other major cities in the country. Thanks to these interesting job opportunities, I had the privilege to work with many high profile chefs from across the world and learn from them. It has been an amazing experience. </p>.<p>Though my cooking is influenced by Punjabi food, I like to experiment with other cuisines too. </p>.<p>Let’s start off the year with a South African dish called ‘Braai Spatchcock’.</p>.<p>I have always helped my mother and sister in the kitchen. My mother’s culinary skills has always inspired me,being hardcore punjabi’s ours was a family of food lovers so do I and that’s probably how I found my interest in food industry. Also ,I have always been influenced by ‘Punjabi Khana’.I began my journey in the industry from The Leela Goa.</p>.<p>In these several years of experience, the fascination of cooking has took me through major cities to work alongside many high profile chefs across the world and it has been an amazing experience.</p>.<p>When you braai a spatchcock chicken, you need to prepare it in indirect fire and place a foil drip pan between the coal. When you grill the chicken, you have to make sure that it is breast side down, covered but with the vents open so that it’ll charr well. You’ll need to flip the meat a couple of time and cook for about half an hour. The resting time, once it’s off the grill, is important.</p>.<h3>Braai Spatchcock</h3>.<p><strong>Ingredients</strong></p>.<ul> <li>Whole baby chicken, 1</li> <li>Potatoes, 200 g (thinly sliced and covered with cold water until needed salt)</li> <li>Salt to taste</li> <li>Few sprigs of thyme</li> <li>Braai chilli marinade</li> <li>Smoked jalapenos, 2 or Chipotle paste, 3 tsp</li> <li>Dried chilli flakes, 1 tsp</li> <li>Smoked paprika, 2 tbsp</li> <li>Garlic, 5 cloves</li> <li>Ginger root, 2 cm piece, peeled and sliced</li> <li>Red or white wine vinegar, 1/4 cup</li> <li>Extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup</li> <li>Dark brown sugar, 1 tbsp</li> <li>Salt, 1 tbsp</li> <li>Lemon juice</li> <li>Fresh limes for serving</li></ul>.<p><strong>Method</strong></p>.<ul> <li class="byline">Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C</li> <li class="byline">Rinse the chicken inside and out and pat dry</li> <li class="byline">Place on a cutting board, breast down and using your knife or kitchen scissors, cut along both sides of the backbone to remove it. Turn the chicken over and press it flat.</li> <li class="byline">Place all the marinade ingredients in a food processor and blend to a paste</li> <li class="byline">Taste the heat of the marinade and add more chilli or chilli flakes if needed.</li> <li class="byline">Brush a thick layer of marinade on the bottom of a fairly deep roasting pan.</li> <li class="byline">Remove the potatoes from the water and pat dry.</li> <li class="byline">Place the potatoes on top of the marinade and sprinkle with some salt and the thyme leaves.</li> <li class="byline">Brush the chicken all over with about half of the marinade (don’t worry if some of the marinade ends up on the potatoes</li> <li class="byline">Place the chicken skin side down on the potatoes, place in the oven and roast for 15 minutes.</li> <li class="byline">Turn the chicken over, brush the chicken all over with half of the leftover marinade and roast for a further 15 minutes.</li> <li class="byline">Brush the chicken again with the last bit of marinade and roast for a further 10 minutes until cooked and the juices run clear when you pierce the thigh.</li> <li class="byline">Return the chicken to the oven and increase the heat of the oven up to grill and grill the chicken for about 10 minutes to crisp the skin</li> <li class="byline">Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes.</li> <li class="byline">While the chicken rests, gently stir the potatoes through the juices in the pan and place back in the oven under the grill for about 10 minutes until the potatoes are golden brown and crispy on top (keep a watch that it does not burn).</li> <li class="byline">Serve the chicken and potatoes with a few wedges of lime to squeeze over the chicken.</li></ul>.<p class="byline"><strong>JP Singh<br />Executive Chef, Sheraton Grand Hotel, Whitefield.</strong></p>